Parks panel wanted solar details sooner

"It's non-controversial," said Marko, the group's chairman. "All you do is good things. Build a new park. Put in a playground. All the nice stuff."

But last Monday's unanimous vote against Mayor Bill Finch's solar field thrust the board into the thick of what Finch called a battle for Bridgeport's reputation as a green-economy leader.

"If we reject it (the solar field), it will certainly tarnish the city's image," Finch told the City Council.

Last Tuesday night, in light of the Parks Commission's action the previous evening, the council tabled its own vote on whether to lease the closed Seaside Park landfill to United Illuminating as space for 9,000 solar panels.

In private, a few solar proponents, flummoxed by the argument the landfill is parkland, said they see a political agenda among some on the commission. Commission member Ann Owens is friends with Mary-Jane Foster, who unsuccessfully challenged Finch in the 2011 Democratic primary and is rumored to be eying a rematch in 2015.

Foster also lives in the Black Rock neighborhood, located across Cedar Creek from the landfill. Residents there have been the most vocal opponents of installing solar atop the landfill's unused open space.

"I would never embarrass the mayor," said Owens, also a Democrat. "I like Bill ... We have no vendetta. I think everybody on the (parks) board appreciates all Bill Finch does. He's very green and great for the parks."

Marko, as chairman, only votes to break a tie. He said he supports the solar field, but he and Owens agreed the city should have approached the parks panel sooner with the proposal.

"I think it probably could have been better presented not only to us, but the public in general," Marko said.

Until recently, UI and city officials were focused on making headway with state regulators. In more recent weeks, the administration has worked to secure City Council approval.

Marko said the Parks Commission has always considered the landfill parkland and thus under its control. He said it was only recently that the city and UI arrived at the same conclusion.

"And that was the reason we were getting the information at such a late date," Marko said.

The group first received a presentation from UI during its regular meeting in early February. Commission members reconvened on Monday of last week, even though it was Presidents Day, to vote ahead of the council.

And the opponents turned out in force, Marko said, with only UI, the city attorney and Councilwoman Susan Brannelly, D-130, of Black Rock making the case for the solar project.

"It just came so quickly," Owens said. "We just really all felt it should be parkland and stay that way."

The Finch administration has argued the solar field was included in Bridgeport's 2012 parks master plan, approved by the Parks Commission. But the reference on page 143 is to a vague "solar array."

"It was very dubious -- a possibility -- but I don't think they told us we're having 9,000 panels," Owens said.

Brannelly backs the solar plan, while the other councilman from Black Rock -- freshman Rick Torres, the only Republican member -- is largely responsible for the mounting opposition.

"You have to anticipate the issues," Brannelly said. "I think genuinely (the Finch administration) did not present this to the parks board because in their mind ... it's a dump. It's very unfortunate someone didn't foresee this as a potential stumbling block."

City Attorney Mark Anastasi has already publicly called the commission's vote "advisory" and the City Council is awaiting a more formal opinion. Owens and others argue if that was the case, why did the commission vote?

It is possible the Finch administration could seek a new vote and try to win over some Parks Commission members.

"That's not out of the question," Owens said. "I don't know if we've ever re-voted on anything."

Asked if Finch is urging a re-vote, Anastasi in an email wrote, "Irrespective of any conclusion that there is no legal requirement for Parks Commission approval, Mayor Finch values and therefore will continue to solicit public support from that public body for this innovative green energy partnership with UI."